WORKERS at the Stourport plant of a company embroiled in a survival struggle with the Environment Agency have had their jobs reprieved by a High Court judge.

Merseyside-based company OSS Group Ltd, which employs 50 people at its plant on the Sandy Lane Industrial Estate, has been locked in a battle with the public body over the question of what constitutes waste.

The case hinges on whether OSS's "Clean Fuel Oil" - which comes from recycled fuel oil and is used by a number of industries across the country for burning - is a waste product or not.

Employees at Stourport's Barracks Road site refine the groundbreaking fuel which, the Environment Agency claims, must comply with more stringent emission regulations.

Lawyers for OSS, however, said the ruling undermined the company's entire business and could make its focus on selling "recycled fuel oil" completely unviable.

High Court judge, Mr Justice Harrison, last Thursday upheld an injunction, won by OSS in March, which, for the time being, prevents the Environment Agency prosecuting anyone who uses Clean Fuel Oil in a non-waste capacity.

He ruled the agency's concerns were currently outweighed by the dire consequences for OSS's business if the way was opened for the agency to take enforcement action against the company and its customers.

If OSS wins the debate and manages to prove that Clean Fuel Oil is not "waste", its business future could be meteoric, the judge was told.

The central issue - whether Clean Fuel Oil should be classified as "waste" - is now due to be fully debated at a High Court judicial review expected to take place next year.